Percival Bateaux St.Valerie d’Amiens (Perci)
I will elucidate the characters in the order which the inspiration originally filled me. As mentioned in other places, the entire novel was conceived by a dream, and a young warrior searching for spiritual longing and grappling with the violent tendencies of his culture became my centerpiece.
Perci, whose complete title is Master Percival Bateaux St. Valerie d’Amiens, was born at the home manor some three miles up the tidal estuary of the Somme River, in the Picardy Region on the northern edge of Normandy, in the year 1192. Bateaux is the patrimonial name ascribed to his family by virtue of their trade- shipbuilding. St. Valerie is the nearest village and the logical place of his christening. Amiens is the town where the church diocese is centered. Family life for these middle-class merchants would have centered there.
Politically, his homeland belongs to England, a complication deriving from the fact that a Norman, William, the Duke of Normandy, captured the English throne by force in 1066. Some of those circumstances are mentioned in the family background in chapter 3.
The rapid conquest had immediate, dire consequences for the English people, but for Normandy, life continued as usual. William returned to his homeland a year later, after being formally crowned King of England, turning over the final subjugation of the island nation to his subordinates. Within the decade, England was solidly under Norman control.
For the next century, Normandy would be inextricably connected to events in England. At first, England was essentially an outpost controlled by Normandy. Eventually, the monarchs of England began to control Normandy from London. Finally, England and France would spar over the territory bordering the North Sea and Bay of Biscay.
By the time our narrative begins in Chapter 3, Normandy is under nominal control of King John of England, a weak monarch that eventually ran afoul of both his barons and the Roman church. The Normans were essentially abandoned to pick whichever conflicts struck their fancy. In the end, they teamed with the King of France and the Earl of Leicester (Simon de Montfort) to subjugate Languedoc and Provence in a Papal crusade.
Perci grew up in this turbulent and confusing world where all able-bodied men were sworn to allegiances both local and national. Perci’s father, Edouard, was a shrewd businessman. His location for ship-building could not have been more ideal. From the Somme Estuary, he had immediate access to markets on the continent and the British Isles. With warfare a constant reality, he exploited the geopolitical institutions to maximize profit.
At the onset of the story, Perci is a sixteen-year old page, subservient to his brother Robert. Suffering from the effects of pneumonia in childhood, he would have been pale and bony. His physical weakness affected his outlook on life. Using his limitations as an excuse for occasional laziness, Perci incurs disrespect from his oldest brother, Robert.
Psychologically, I picture Perci as a weakling who must prove himself. And this process of proving is what initiates the feud between Robert and him. As the story reveals, Robert’s pride and position as the elder and inheritor, clashes with Perci’s own version of pride, mixed with the toxic desire to show the family that he is worthy of honor. A disastrous relationship follows.
Friar Beulan
After developing my main character, I sought for other persons who would have lived during that time period. What kind of people would be drawn to other belief systems, and under what circumstances?
Immediately, I thought of monks, for they were literate and would have had direct and consistent access to Scriptures. Under the right circumstances, a monk could read God’s Word and realize the established system had strayed from the original teachings of Christ and His apostles. Think: Martin Luther.
Monastic activity proliferated virtually everywhere in Medieval Europe, so a wide variety of backgrounds and ethnicities were available for consideration. I settled on Ireland, partly because monasticism gained an early foothold on that obscure island, and partly because I was already familiar with that region.
So, Beulan (which is an entirely fabricated name) enters the scene on a wind-swept island vaguely referred to as The Isle. Born in 1162, he would be 46 years old when he makes the irrevocable decision to leave the cloister and search for others that believe the way he does, after years of soul-searching.
Standard for monks of the day, Beulan is fluent in Latin and Greek. Speaking Gaelic as his native tongue, he also has a working knowledge of the Parisienne dialect of French. The story does not always explain how people from various backgrounds can communicate with each other, but using Latin as a “bridge” language among cultured individuals would be the most common way to converse with those of other lands.
The stereotypical Irishman has highly-charged emotions, whether sanguine or melancholic. I settled on melancholic, for those type of moods tend toward deep thinking, and I desired to infuse Beulan with a logical yet sensitive mind that would yearn to mollify the feelings of others.
Beulan wants to influence his world. Understanding the truth is not sufficient. He must share his burden of truth, even on pains of persecution. Ostracized by those nearest him, he then turns attention on the continent, hoping to find new converts, and perhaps discover like-minded people with whom he can establish a permanent spiritual home.
Minister Jean
My original vision included a safe haven where my main characters could flee. And how could they be safer in Western Europe than in the wilds of the Swiss Alps?
The dominant heretical group inhabiting that region were the Waldensians, so I began to envision a leader of that sect who could fulfill the role of savior to those in distress.
Jean is called a barbe, the term for a Waldensian chosen to wander the countryside to spread the Gospel message. Barbes also lingered at home to administer the rites of the congregation. Living the life of a pauper, the local congregation provided barbes with housing and food, but scant payment, scarcely enough for travel expenses. Most of their money was earned by donations from those to whom they preached.
As Jean develops in my story, he changes from a mysterious entity who leaps from nowhere onto the pages to a powerful but enigmatic character. He is soft-hearted and kind, easily recognizing those who are in physical or spiritual distress. For these attributes he was likely elected to the position of barbe.
The story reveals snippets of his past. Born in 1174 under obscure circumstances, and presumably near Strasbourg, his early years remain a mystery in Hills of Zion. Some of these details will be revealed in the sequel, Fields of Zion.
What we do know is that Jean spends his late teen years, and perhaps a few beyond, in a canonical school in Geneva. Possessing a sharp mind that contrasts his relaxed nature, he endears himself to Bernard, the saintly friar who instructs these pupils in Biblical and church knowledge.
Unbeknownst to Jean, Bernard secretly practices heresy, using his position in higher education to identify young men that are likely to accept Biblical truths, even when their lives are at stake. Subtly, the friar succeeds in disseminating truth into Jean’s heart, and the young scholar goes on to graduate, eventually finding a group of believers in the Alps with whom he might fellowship.
Jean is a spirit-led man of faith but endowed with one foible. He enjoys rambling on forays throughout the continent, wandering primarily alone, a circumstance not explained in the book. Likely, he began as an apprentice to a senior barbe. The master barbe may have been caught and martyred by the authorities, leaving Jean alone in his ministry for a time.
Enjoying quasi-independence, he meanders wherever the Spirit leads. This provides ample opportunity for interesting situations, but his wife struggles to accept his indulgence. This one weakness causes the sole thread of conflict in the strong marital bond with his beloved Marjorie.
Cardinal Jean Pierre Michaud
Born in 1155 in Strasbourg to a wealthy merchant family, Michaud has steadily climbed the ranks within the Roman Catholic hierarchy to become one of the Pope’s most trusted emissaries. As a member of the Roman Curia, Michaud also participates in the legislation of canonical laws within the church. During this time period, this skill set will place him in the perfect position to take on the powerful role of prelate during the coming crusade and inquisition.
Having developed Perci as the key dynamic character to propel the story forward, I have already mentioned those who would influence for the right, i.e. Jean and Beulan. I also needed characters who would pull the opposite direction. As an antagonist, however, Michaud is not clear-cut. Originally planning for him to be at open opposition to the Waldensian movement, I decided to complicate the plot by painting the cardinal in a softer light.
Michaud, like many clergy of the Middle Ages, did not embark on that path willingly. Although the income was considered a major boon for any family, a majority of churchmen would have entered religious service out of compulsion or familial duty, not from conviction.
The story hints vaguely at Michaud’s personality. Introverted, testy, cynical- these traits result from the reason why Michaud is in the service of the church to begin with. The reader can only guess why he slavishly serves the Pope (Lotario) when he secretly despises the Holy See and everything connected with it. His actions and attitudes are a result of an earlier trauma that will be at least partially revealed in the sequel, Fields of Zion.
Marie de Brecon
Every worthwhile story must have a girl involved as a main character, and Marie filled that role almost as an afterthought. Of all my characters, she has evolved the most, both in the first installment, and now in the sequel.
In my original inspiration, she would meet Beulan after suffering persecution and somehow link up with Perci on the way to “Zion”. Soon I realized the value of involving Perci and Marie early in the narrative. Having Perci stumble upon her in the process of persecution would provide for some interesting situations, both immediately and in the future.
Marie is intended to be static, a consistent Christian with a sharp intellect. I needed someone to help persuade Perci of his folly and set him on the proper course, but as I am a “seat of the pants” writer, she began taking on a much greater role. My book would not be the same without her, for she has become my personal favorite in the story.
Part of my initial difficulty with developing Marie was that I am a male creature, and she is female. I found the process of describing and explaining a girl rather difficult. But then my occupation rescued me. One day I realized that a girl in my class was exactly who I wanted Marie to be. The task then became almost effortless, and I have discovered that writing about girls is not nearly as intimidating as once thought.
So Marie has become inextricable entwined with Perci’s adventures, even though they rarely occupy the same pages. Psychologically, they are inseparable because of disastrous events they experience together. In Fields of Zion I will be exploring the logical fallout that would befall Christian youths, spiritually and psychologically, after suffering through the events of the Albigensian Crusade.
Marie is tall and intellectually advanced for her age. Arguably, she is also spiritually advanced, able even to impress a lettered monk. Born in 1196, she turns twelve during the first summer of the story (1208). Beyond the already stated description, she is phlegmatic by nature but stirred easily to indignation when aroused. Her tongue, though capably wielded and witty, is controlled by her tempered personality. Not easily provoked to emotional expression, she becomes frustrated when circumstances threaten to drive her over the edge.
Growing up in southern Burgundy to parents of Germanic descent, she flees southward after her parents are executed by Catholic authorities for their faith, when she is barely ten years old. This violent occurrence steels her for the horrors to come. During her wanderings in Provence, she first enters the scene in Chapter Seven.
Marjorie
The faithful spouse of Minister Jean, Marjorie plays a minor role, but her influence on main characters is pivotal; whether she is infusing stability into her husband’s life or standing against the false science of dignitaries.
Marjorie’s first language is French, though she speaks Greek and Latin fluently, also. Short, round-faced, slightly freckled, auburn hair, and blue eyes are the physical features of this phlegmatic woman that has braved the complexities of life with a spiritual rogue. Her attachment to Jean is irrevocable as she uses a mix of emotional displays, stubbornness, and logic to prevent Jean from stumbling into mishap.
Antonio Berga
Unswerving loyalty, analytical thinking, and the ability to react to external conflict, summarize the attributes of Cardinal Michaud’s faithful guard. Of Swiss origin, Antonio spent his early years in the Tyrol, a wild, mountainous region bordering the eastern end of the Alps. His rugged and isolated upbringing would prepare him for service in the Papal Guard, where he is eventually attached to a detail protecting Cardinal Michaud. “Toni’s” quick wit compliments the cardinal’s sarcastic, mundane personality and the two become inseparable.
Though protocol of the day would demand strict separation of guard and dignitary, the two continually defy societal norms to protect their relationship. Toni plays the alternating role of friend and consultant as Michaud gropes his way through the trials and issues of his office.
Antonio begins the story as a sergeant, commanding a small battalion of guards. Successful with returning the endangered cardinal to Rome, he is promoted to captain, charged with protecting the Papal legates during the Albigensian Crusade.
Etienne
One of Beulan’s traveling companions, Etienne is fifteen upon entering the narrative. Serene, mature, and loyal, he is determined to lead the monk to journey’s end, wherever that may be. Raised in Gascony, his family becomes proselytes to a loose but conservative Albigensian group
When he crosses paths with Beulan, Etienne, who has been orphaned by the execution of his parents, is drawn to the sincere monk who searches for Zion. After Marie joins their traveling group, Etienne continues to draw inward, protecting his deepest thoughts and convictions while still searching for a place they can call home.
Robert Bateaux d’Amiens
An incorrigible older brother to the main character, Robert hounds and annoys Perci until the latter becomes incensed and bitter towards the elder. Determined to angle himself for the ultimate prize, the family estate, Robert will stop at nothing to gain promotion and advantage over his siblings.
Of course, such obnoxious behavior will not endear him to many people, but he does manage to garner the majority of praise and attention from his wealthy father, Edouard. Slightly taller than Perci, Robert’s features differ in other ways, as well. Reddish blonde hair and a powerful physique serve to intimidate the middle son.
Only half sincere in his determination to eliminate Perci, he is a coward at heart and is painfully aware of this drawback. Desiring the accolades of successful combat, Robert nonetheless manages to avoid confrontation when possible.